Latest News from Turkey
Dendias speaks with Cyprus counterpart ahead of EU meeting
Turkey's illegal activities in the Eastern Mediterranean were at the center of a telephone call Wednesday between Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides ahead of Friday's extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council meeting.
No more details were immediately available about the call.
Turkey says it wants to resolve dispute with Greece through dialogue
Turkey wants to resolve a dispute with Greece over energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean through dialogue, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Wednesday, but added that Ankara would defend its "rights and interests" in the region.
Turkish swimmer aims to get medal at Para World Contest
A teenager born without a right arm and left leg started swimming for rehabilitation and succeeded in becoming a national swimmer by overcoming his fear of water.
Having won 50 times already acquiring first place, he is now aiming to achieve new challenges.
Turkey says Greece violating rights of Muslim minority
Turkey has accused Greece of oppressing the members of its Muslim community in western Thrace, while slamming the European Union for allegedly tolerating the "systematic violation of human rights" in the country.
Police to observe weddings against spread of coronavirus
Observer police officers assigned at weddings in line with combating the virus play an important role in preventing the spread of the pandemic as a spike is seen in the number of daily confirmed COVID-19 cases that has alarmed health professionals.
Dendias meets with Israeli ambassador
Bilateral relations between Greece and Israel and Turkey's illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean were at the center of talks between Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Israel's ambassador in Athens, Yossi Amrani, the former said in a tweet Wednesday.
The meeting was held at the Foreign Ministry in Athens.
Bahceli lashes out against ‘hostile’ Greece
Devlet Bahceli, the leader of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) which is an ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party, has accused Greece of displaying an "hostile behavior" amid tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
"To all those who cause provocations at sea, drawing awaits them," Bahceli warned.
Ankara slams Greece over closing minority schools
Turkey slammed Greece on Aug. 11 over systematically closing down Turkish minority schools in the country's Western Thrace region, depriving the minority of the education of their choosing.
Turkey plans to lay two cables for seismic research by Aug. 23, energy minister says
Turkey plans to lay two cables, totaling 1,750 km in length, for seismic research for energy resources in the Mediterranean Sea by August 23, the country's Energy Minister Fatih Donmez tweeted on Wednesday.
İYİ Party leader turns down Erdoğan’s call to join AKP-MHP alliance
İYİ (Good) Party chair Meral Akşener has turned down a proposal by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to join the People's Alliance between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), stressing she would never leave her party comrades in the lurch.
Main opposition CHP gives support for Turkey’s policy in eastern Mediterranean
The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lends support to Turkey's drilling activities in the eastern Mediterranean, party spokesperson Faik Öztrak said on Aug. 11.
Turkey has the right to make any kind of decisions on its continent area by international law and should not take a step back, he told reporters at a press conference.
Virus-related hospitalization down but severe cases rise in Turkey
COVID-19-associated hospitalization rate has been declining but severe infection care is rising in Turkey, the health minister has said.
"There has been a 32 percent decline in hospitalization over the past three days," Fahrettin Koca wrote on Twitter on Aug. 11.
Greece, Cyprus leaders discuss strategy
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades was briefed on Tuesday by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the situation in Greece's continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, where Turkey's seismic exploration vessel Oruc Reis is currently stationed, with the two leaders agreeing on coordinated action.
Lake Marmara in Manisa province dries up
Lake Marmara, a major bird sanctuary in the western province of Manisa, has dried up due to drought.
The lake offers shelter to some 20,000 waterfowls, including endangered bird species, such as cormorants and pelicans.
Turkey wants to resolve problems with Greece through dialogue: Minister
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Aug. 12 said that Turkey wants to resolve the dispute in the eastern Mediterranean with Greece through dialogue.
"Despite all this, we want to believe that common sense will prevail. Both on the field and at the table, we side with international law, good neighbourliness and dialogue," Akar told Reuters.